Politico: Berlin is shifting away from Paris!

Relations between Germany and France are witnessing increasing tensions over the European Future Combat Air System (FCAS) project, as the dispute over this joint defense program has turned into an industrial conflict that could negatively impact European unity in the field of military technology.

Politico, revealed that the project, launched in 2017 with the participation of France, Germany, and Spain, aims to replace the Eurofighter Typhoon and Rafale fighter jets by 2040.

However, from the outset, disagreements between the partners over the distribution of roles and leadership have repeatedly plagued the project, pushing it to the brink of losing its collaborative nature.

According to German officials familiar with the negotiations, the German defense minister recently discussed with Airbus, which is leading the German side of the project, the possibility of seeking new partners if the agreement with France falls through.

These options include opening up cooperation with Sweden or the United Kingdom, or even moving forward alone with Spain.

Meanwhile, members of the German Bundestag are expressing concern about the project’s delays.

MP Andreas Schwarz said, ” Bundestag must decide soon whether we really need this aircraft, especially since production hasn’t yet begun and problems could arise at any moment”.

In an effort to ease the tensions, Paris and Berlin agreed last July to resolve the disputes during the fall, setting a year-end deadline for deciding on the next phase of the project, which includes the presentation of a prototype aircraft.

Opening the door to cooperation with new partners is an unprecedented step, especially given the significant expertise available in the United Kingdom through BAE Systems, which specializes in designing stealth fighters, and in Sweden through Saab, which has expertise in light aircraft and sensor systems.

Swedish Defense Minister Pal Jonsson is scheduled to visit Berlin next week to discuss cooperation opportunities.

Analysts believe that the tensions between France and Germany stem from a dispute between the French company Dassault and the German company Airbus over project leadership, task allocation, and technology sharing. Spain, for its part, is an important industrial partner through its company Indra.

The project isn’t limited to building a single aircraft, but rather includes developing an integrated system that includes the new aircraft, drones, and digital connectivity systems, and any delay or industrial dispute poses a significant risk to implementation.

German reports indicate that Dassault has pushed for an 80% stake in the project, which has angered Berlin.

For his part, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz’s spokesman emphasized the need to adhere to the division of labor in accordance with the contracts agreed upon with Spain.

France, on the other hand, denies that Dassault intends to take absolute control, but stresses its desire to effectively lead the project to avoid delaying delivery until 2040.

A French official said, “Is the current democratic method of distributing work the most appropriate? No one has yet proven that it guarantees timely completion”.

Berlin faces two main choices: either continue on the current path while attempting to adjust its working methods, or turn to new partners, or even move forward alone with Spain, especially in light of the political changes in Paris with Sebastien Lecornu taking over as prime minister.

The future of the European fighter project remains suspended between industrial disputes and strategic aspirations, and Berlin’s decision will determine whether this European dream will remain a joint project or be divided among the continent’s major powers.